News:

Good day, denizens of OC.net! Per our tradition, the forum will shut down for Clean Monday, beginning around 9pm Sunday evening (2/18) and ending around 9pm Monday evening (2/19). In the spirit of the coming Forgiveness Sunday, I ask you to forgive me for the sins I have committed against you. At the end of Great and Holy Week, the Forum will also shut down for Holy Friday and Holy Saturday (times TBA).

I'd say I have all of my other vices under control and gradually improving

Really?

Confidently. On the road to recovery. I just cannot change the fact that I'm a hormonal teenage boy.

How many vices do you have that you can control all but one?

4. Laziness, Anger, Gluttony and finally Lust. The former three I am working on and making progress, but the latter one I only grow worse and worse with.

How about pride, the most insidious of all vices? Even at 2 1/2 times your age, I still struggle with this vice, and I certainly can't say that I've gained any control over it. If you can say in all honesty that you've gained any mastery over this vice of pride, you're much farther on the path of theosis than I am.

I might not have totally mastered it, but I have pride under control and I am getting a lot better at controlling it. You know what makes it easy for me? I have nothing to be proud about. In fact, in many cases I find myself ashamed of my life. That's the beauty of misery and coming from a screwed up family; you have no reason to be proud When I do indulge in pride, it is usually when I brag about my Orthodoxy and diss Protestantism, but, as some of you may have noticed, I have not been doing that as often, thanks to my friend Orthonorm's advice

Just the statement that you have pride under control and that you're getting a lot better at controlling it can be seen as an act of pride in and of itself. (Do you even know what pride is and of the many diverse ways it can manifest itself?) In short, you're boasting of your spiritual progress.

I'd say I have all of my other vices under control and gradually improving

Really?

Confidently. On the road to recovery. I just cannot change the fact that I'm a hormonal teenage boy.

How many vices do you have that you can control all but one?

4. Laziness, Anger, Gluttony and finally Lust. The former three I am working on and making progress, but the latter one I only grow worse and worse with.

How about pride, the most insidious of all vices? Even at 2 1/2 times your age, I still struggle with this vice, and I certainly can't say that I've gained any control over it. If you can say in all honesty that you've gained any mastery over this vice of pride, you're much farther on the path of theosis than I am.

I might not have totally mastered it, but I have pride under control and I am getting a lot better at controlling it. You know what makes it easy for me? I have nothing to be proud about. In fact, in many cases I find myself ashamed of my life. That's the beauty of misery and coming from a screwed up family; you have no reason to be proud When I do indulge in pride, it is usually when I brag about my Orthodoxy and diss Protestantism, but, as some of you may have noticed, I have not been doing that as often, thanks to my friend Orthonorm's advice

Just the statement that you have pride under control and that you're getting a lot better at controlling it can be seen as an act of pride in and of itself. (Do you even know what pride is and of the many diverse ways it can manifest itself?) In short, you're boasting of your spiritual progress.

Not having pride a paradox, because once you realize you don't have it, you have it.

Sins go very deep, and are very complex, and often very related.

Anger for example, is often judgmental. It is often prideful because one believes they are "good enough" to be angry. It is often manipulative, because it often exists to change the behavior of people. It is often wrathful, and can include violence or thoughts of violence. It is deceitful, when people say things they don't mean. It can be even in circles of theft, if it is to acquire or convince somebody of something they didn't want to sell, do, or whatever. It can hurt others (do unto others). It can outcast. It can scorn. It can swindle, boast, and blame in manipulation.... Murders are very often committed in anger.... Anger can even run into lust ("well I'll get back at him for his secretary...."). Anger can lead into bearing false witness of events to others. Anger is vengeful.

The moment a Christian believes himself to be righteous is the moment he is not.

100% False. You have to believe that you are among the righteous in order to even receive the Mysteries.

Holy things are for the holy. Yet only one is holy, and one is lord: Jesus Christ. We are allowed to commune because of God's grace, because we are in need of healing, not because we are already righteous.